Method of processing hogs in a meat packing plant



Jan. 7, 1964 F. F. WILCOX 3,116,515

METHOD OF PROCESSING HOGS IN A MEAT PACKING PLANT Filed April 12, 1962 //v VEN 70/? H20AWCK FW/LCOX United States Patent Ofiice 3,116,515 Patented Jan. 7, 1964 3,116,515 METHOD OF PROCESSING HOGS IN A MEAT PACKING PLANT Frederick F. Wilcox, 1506 Beaver Ave., Des Moines, Iowa Filed Apr. 12, 1962, Ser. No. 187,097 7 Claims. (Cl. 17-45) This invention relates to a method of and means for separating the bristles from the hair of hogs being processed at packing plants, and more particularly to a method of obtaining unbroken undamaged dry bristles separate from the hair of hogs being butchered.

Good hog bristles are highly desirable and valuable for many uses. Perhaps the greatest need is in the manufacture of certain types of brushes. The largest concentration of good bristles and conversely the smallest growth of hair is on the back of the hog from his head to his tail. The remainder of the hog is covered with mostly hair. The present method used by substantially all packing plants is to first pass the hog through a hot water bath, and then into and through a dehairing machine. From the dehairing machine the hog is opened for the removal of internal organs and then passed into a chilling room. The Wet co-mingled bristles and hair are retrieved from the dehairing machine and sold for various purposes, such as that of furniture padding. Obviously, there is no economical method of removing the bristles from the mass of hair. Furthermore, the dehairing machine damages the bristles. These machines are of the flaying type and these bristles are not only broken, but most bristles are pulled out of the animal by their roots. Even if the bristles could be picked out from the other hair, bristles cannot be used successfully Without first cutting off their root or bulb ends. Also, the bristles and hair coming from the dehairing machine are in an objectionably wet, soggy condition.

Therefore, an object of this invention is to provide a method of processing hog-s which will permit a greater degree of utilization of the animal components including among other matter, bristles and food pieces.

Another one of the principal objects of my invention is to provide a process of obtaining good bristles (as distinguished from hair) from hogs being slaughtered by packing plants.

A further object of this invention is to provide a method of obtaining unbroken hog bristles from animals being processed for food purposes by packing plants.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a rocess of obtaining hog bristles less the roots of the bristles from hogs being slaughtered by packing plants.

Still further objects of my invention are to provide a method of obtaining the bristles from hogs being processed by packing plants that is economical in operation, rapid, and delivers the bristles in a dry state.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

FIG. 1 is an illustrative diagrammatical view of my process of separately obtaining bristles and hair from a hog being processed by a packing plant.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view along line 22 in FIG. 1 of the combination clipper and hair-collecting device used in the hog processing method of this invention.

The chief distinction of my process of processing hogs from that of the present practice is to remove the bristles and hair separately so that at one period in the sequence of processing the hog, only bristles are obtained, and at a subsequent period in the sequence only hair will be obtained.

After a hog 10 has been stunned, it is moved forwardly in an upright position by a V-shaped transporting means 11 to a bleeding conveyor and then to the hot water compartment 12. It is before the hog reaches the hot water compartment that I introduce my extra step in the normal processing of hogs at the packing plant. This extra step occurs while the animal is held in an upright position in the transporting means '11, and consists of clip-removing the back bristles of the hog by an ordinary clipper 13 and which is associated with my suction tube 15. This suction tube is in communication with any suitable means for producing a minus atmospheric pressure such as that of an ordinary household suction sweeper machine. Some such vacuum cleaners use a paper filter through which the air column escapes. However, instead of catching and retaining dirt, I am interested in catching and retaining the cut, dry bristles from the hair clipper 13. In fact, the tube means 15 may empty the cut oif bristles into a paper or like filter bag. When the bag is full, it can be replaced by another bag, and the filled bag shipped with its bristles as a unit package to point of bristle usage. Points to note are that the collected bristles are not broken, are in a dry state, and the bristles do not have their objectionable root bulb. Also, by my process, even the color or character of bristles may be selected, either by hog selection, or by using several clipper-vacuum tube units. As herebefore indicated, my method also obtains the hair of the hog but in a separate step from that of obtaining the bristles. From the hot water compartment 12, I move the de bristled hog into the ordinary dehairing machine 16. From the dehairing machine the hog moves for clean up, internal organ removal, chilling and piece cutting and skinning. From the dehairing machine I obtain the hog hair less bristles.

Therefore, by my process I obtain two separate products, i.e., dry, good, ready to use bristles, and hair suitable for padding and like.

To obtain my desired results, my process therefore is briefly as follows:

Remove the bristles from the hog by a suitable means such as a mechanical clipper, pass the hog into hot water, pass the hog through a dehairing machine, and lastly remove the organs from the hog, chill the carcass, and skin and cut the carcass into pieces. By such a process, I obtain separately, bristles, hair, skin, and pieces of meat.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of my method of processing hogs in a meat packing plant, without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim:

1. A method of processing hogs at a packing plant, comprising, in sequence (a) first the removal of the bristles of the hog,

(b) raising the temperature of the body of the hog,

(c) passing the hog through a dehairing machine, and

(d) lastly, the processing of the carcass into food pieces.

2. -A method of processing hogs at a packing plant, comprising, in sequence (a) first the removal of the bristles of the hog by clipping the bristles from the hog,

(b) raising the temperature of the body of the hog,

(c) passing the hog through a dehairing machine, and

(d) lastly, the processing of the carcass into food pieces.

3. A method of processing hogs at a packing plant, comprising, in sequence (a) clipping the bristles on the back of the hog While the bristles are in a dry state,

(b) raising the temperature of the body of the hog,

(c) passing the hog through a dehairing machine, and

(d) lastly, the processing of the carcass for skin and into food pieces. 4. A method of processing hogs at a packing plant,

comprising, in sequence (a) the removal of the bristles from the hog While in a dry state,

(b) the subjecting of the body of the hog to hot Water,

(c) the passing of the hog through a dehairing machine, and

(d) lastly, the processing of the body of the hog into food pieces.

5. A method of processing hogs at a packing plant,

comprising, in sequence (a) clipping selectively the bristles on the back of the hog WhllB the bristles are in a dry state,

(b) the collecting of the severed bristles,

(c) raising the temperature of the body of the hog,

(d) passing the hog through a dehairing machine, and

(e) lastly, the processing of the carcass into food pieces,

6. A method of processing hogs at a packing plant,

comprising, in sequence (a) first the removal of the bristles from the hog while in a dry state,

(b) the collecting of the severed bristles by a suction means,

(0) raising the temperature of the body of the hog,

(d) passing the hog through a dehairing machine, and

(e) lastly, the processing of the carcass into food pieces.

7. A method of processing hogs at a packing plant,

comprising, in sequence References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Jordan Apr. 3, 1917 Kaufmann Feb. 22, 1927 

1. A METHOD OF PROCESSING HOGS AT A PACKING PLANT, COMPRISING, IN SEQUENCE (A) FIRST THE REMOVAL OF THE BRISTTES OF THE HOG, (B) RAISING THE TEMPERATURE OF THE BODY OF THE HOG, (C) PASSING THE HOG THROUGH A DEHAIRING MACHINE, AND (D) LASTLY, THE PROCESSING OF THE CARCAS INTO FOOD PIECES. 